The history of the Jermen name began with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the baptismal name German. The surname Jermen referred to the son of German which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early History of the Jermen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jermen research.Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1614, 1579, 1573, 1645, 1604, 1611, 1614, 1629, 1605 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Jermen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Jermen Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Jermen family name include Jarman, Jarmain, Jermayne, Jermain, Jermyn, Jermin and many more.

Early Notables of the Jermen family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Ambrose Jermyn; his son, Sir Robert Jermyn DL (1539-1614) was an English politician, High Sheriff of Suffolk for 1579; Sir Thomas Jermyn... Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jermen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jermen family to Ireland

Some of the Jermen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jermen family to the New World and Oceana

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Jermen surname or a spelling variation of the name include : John, his wife Margaret, Elizabeth, Sarah, Priscilla Jarman settled in New England in 1635; John Jermain settled in Virginia in 1739; Thomas Jermayne settled in St. Christopher in 1634.

The Jermen Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: nec ab oriente nec ab occidenteMotto Translation: Neither from the east nor from the west.